Those Kippers just can’t decide whether to stay or go. Suzanne Evans, Ukip’s deputy chairman, was yesterday banned from representing the party, according to a leaked internal email. Evans upset some in the party after telling the Daily Politics that Farage can be perceived as ‘divisive figure.’ But the party has just released a statement to the contrary:
‘Suzanne Evans has not been sacked as a UKIP spokesman. The email seen by the BBC was issued without proper authority.’
What’s going on here? At present, Ukip is full of murmurings of plots and backstabbing, which have manifested themselves in this latest episode. Despite losing her job as Head of Policy, Evans is still perceived by some to be a threat to the Farage and yesterday’s comments were seen as proof that she still has her eye on the top job.
But others in Ukip are very keen to stress there was no plot and no one is trying to oust the leader. It’s worth noting that Evans did not say Farage was a ‘divisive character’, she said he was perceived to be as a result of some policies. There is a chance that what she actually meant has got lost in the negative briefings.
And then there is the role of Raheem Kassam, Farage’s former senior adviser and editor of Breitbart London. Evans appeared to suggest that he was behind yesterday’s anonymous briefings, something Kassam denied. He was lined up to appear on the Daily Politics today before pulling out at the last minute. Julia Hartley-Brewer writes over at the Telegraph that Kassam pulled out after a threat was put to him that Douglas Carswell and some Ukip MEPs would publically call for Farage to stand down if he appeared. But Kassam himself denies this:
‘I made the decision independently. I’m long gone and not important enough for MPs or MEPs to worry our care about’
Either way, these Ukip wars are reaching ludicrous levels. Westminster is pretty quiet at the moment and for a party has just one MP, these resignations, unresignations, sackings and unsackings make for a good spectator sport. But with each new round of briefings, the party’s credibility fades further.
With the EU referendum around the corner, Kippers would do well to remember the biggest fight of their political lives is almost here. Attacking each other will do absolutely nothing to help their cause.
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